The cooling system in your 2003 Honda CR-V uses a manufacturer-specific, premixed coolant; according to Honda, it should not be mixed with any other brand. If the Honda coolant is not available, another brand of silicate-free antifreeze may be added in an emergency but must be replaced with the specified coolant as soon as possible to avoid damage to the CR-V's aluminum engine. Check the coolant level regularly to avoid over-heating.
Instructions
Cold Engine Check
- 1
Visually inspect the coolant level in the coolant recovery bottle located to the left of the radiator in the front of the engine compartment.
2Add coolant to the recovery bottle until the level in the bottle is between the "Min" and "Max" level indicated on the bottle.
3If the bottle is completely empty, remove the radiator cap from the radiator and add coolant as needed to completely fill the radiator.
Hot Engine Check
- 4
Visually inspect the level of coolant in the recovery bottle as described in Section 1. If the engine is hot and the coolant recovery bottle is completely empty, do not attempt to remove the radiator cap. Serious burns can occur from escaping hot coolant. Allow the engine to cool before removing the radiator cap.
5If the level is below the "Max" mark, add coolant until the level reaches approximately 2 inches above the "Max" mark on the coolant recovery bottle. As the coolant heats up and expands, it is pushed out of the radiator into the recovery bottle. When the engine is cool, the coolant shrinks and pulls the coolant from the recovery bottle into the radiator so that the radiator is always filled to capacity.
6Recheck the coolant level when the engine is cool.
